


candyman

by ritokki



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Skating, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, Fluff, Jaehyun has a dog, M/M, figure skater!johnny, figure skater!mark, hockey player!donghyuck, hockey player!jaehyun, it's complicated bc theyre dumb, jaehyun also works at an ice cream parlour, kinda domestic, yes this is another skating au .yes i still know nothing about skating we exist
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-16
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:21:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24214348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ritokki/pseuds/ritokki
Summary: It wasn't easy, hating Johnny. But, for as long as he returned the favour, Jaehyun was sure as hell going to try.alternatively: “and there was only one ice rink” “oh my god there was only one ice rink” - the small-town ice hockey/figure skater rivalry Takes A Turn
Relationships: Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun/Suh Youngho | Johnny, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee
Comments: 27
Kudos: 188





	candyman

**Author's Note:**

> im back !! i finally finished this after so. so long and it's also been like .three months since i posted a fic so forgive me for that jhddfjdf uhh shout out to rei to the idea and to ren for putting up with my screeching mwah love u
> 
> anyway this is like my second skating fic and I still know nothing to excuse any technical mistakes wikipedia can only take one so far!! also title is from candyman by christina aguilera idk I felt like it fit
> 
> also this is irrelevant but during my procrastinations I decided to set this is vulcan, alberta in canada but it still uses british english don't @ me for that
> 
> anywho enjoy!!

“Oh, fuck me.”

“Not on the ice, Jaehyun. You two can have at it later.”

Jaehyun elbowed his companion’s side, scowling. “Shut up, Donghyuck.”

“Yeah,” another voice chimed in. “Shut up, Hyuck.”

Sticking out his tongue, Donghyuck used his stick to knock the puck over to Jaehyun and glided over to the edge of the rink where Mark stood, leaning over the side to retort with more than his usual amount of snark. Jaehyun caught the puck with ease and flung it into the goal before slowly skating up to where they stood. His peripheral vision showed a figure approaching from the changing room doors to his right, but Jaehyun resolutely ignored it. He busied himself with scouring the rows of seats behind Mark’s head, knowing he would find about a desert’s worth of anything, really. Despite it being the only ice rink in the town they called home, it was almost always empty during the week. 

He made a move to interject into Mark and Donghyuck’s quarrel, but was rudely cut off by a voice from the right.

Johnny didn't spare him a glance. “Donghyuck? You're still here?”

Jaehyun grimaced. “Hi, Suh.”

“It’s your turn to leave early this week, Jung. You’re gonna tear up all the ice at this rate.”

“How many times do I need to tell you, I swear-” Jaehyun muttered. “It’s just practice. The ice is fine.”

Johnny made an unconvinced sound, purposely using his height to look over Jaehyun’s head and ‘inspect’ the ice. Jaehyun barely refrained from scowling. Figure skaters were always prone to showing off their, uh,  _ attributes _ , and Jaehyun wasn't about to let  _ Johnny Suh,  _ of all people, have the satisfaction of managing to piss him off. It was a feat many failed - Jaehyun Jung had the looks of an angel and patience of a saint, after all. 

But if Jaehyun was a saint, Johnny was Lucifer in the flesh.

Not in a ‘ _ Thanos trying to eliminate half the universe’s population’  _ kind of way, though. He was actually a perfectly pleasant person; kind and caring to just about everyone, though Jaehyun seemed to be the exception. They  _ had _ gotten off on the wrong foot, but Johnny was making them sound more like divorced parents fighting over custody of their children than athletes with clashing practice schedules. (Johnny and Donghyuck were fairly close - Jaehyun had  _ no idea  _ how, but they were - but both he and Jaehyun drew a line at using their ‘apprentices’ against each other. An unspoken rule, but one neither of them would dare to break. Mark had grown on Jaehyun too, after all.)

“Well, anyway. It’s our slot now- so chop-chop, Jung.”

Jaehyun smiled tersely, beckoning Donghyuck to help him put away the goals. This ‘arrangement’ of theirs was starting to become troublesome, but Donghyuck was too talented to be restricted to two hours of practice, three days a week. Since his final year in high school, Jaehyun had been captain of their town’s ice hockey team, and Donghyuck was the first to show this level of dedication and talent; he was going to get him to the Olympics, if it was the last thing he did.

For a captain, that’s the greatest achievement. He was well aware that playing professionally was Donghyuck’s dream; it was the thing that convinced Jaehyun to let him on the team, and Jaehyun was determined to give him all the opportunities he could. Even if that meant sharing the after-hours weekend slots with a peeving figure skater and his less-annoying trainee, just to get in those extra few hours. 

That didn't mean he enjoyed it, though.

In an ideal world, they would book out the rink for a few hours before Johnny and Mark arrived, but there was only so much Jaehyun’s ice cream parlour job could afford. Plus, the rink was always mysteriously packed with leisure skaters on the weekends. So, they were stuck sharing a two-and-a-half-hour time slot and alternated weekly as to who chipped ten minutes off their practice time to allow the other to set up. 

Johnny grinned, somewhere between mocking and forced. It was painful to look at - not just because Johnny looked somehow attractive with every expression, but because it didn't seem to fit. It was too wide, hitched up on one side but without any sort of head tilt to make it natural. 

Jaehyun wasn't blind; Johnny was putting on an act. And while it was somewhat pitiful, Jaehyun wasn't about to tell Johnny that. 

Johnny could try to hate him - he could try as much as he wanted, but Jaehyun knew better. 

As he undid his skates, he dared a glance back at the rink, where Johnny had begun teaching Mark an especially difficult-looking spin, and decided:

Johnny was a Care Bear.

It wouldn't be easy, but as long as Johnny treated him like some kind of shitty anime antagonist, Jaehyun was going to do the same.

Fuck Care Bears.

*

Jaehyun had never talked to Johnny outside the rink. Mostly unintentionally - their paths didn't meet often, and on the off chance they did, Jaehyun would usually turn the other way, lest he fell victim to Johnny’s judgement, as per usual.

The first time they did meet away from the whirr of the rink’s cooling system, was, to all extents, unexpected and (for the most part) unwanted. 

Keeping track of his money was never one of Jaehyun’s strong points, as much as Donghyuck groaned about how he was an  _ adult _ and should be “responsible with money - what are you, a monkey? Kids these days, honestly.” Jaehyun didn't have the energy to point out the contradiction; he just picked up his phone, dialled his boss and asked for another shift to add to his week. Luckily, his boss, Kun, was an absolute  _ godsend _ and easily slotted him in for ‘till duty’ on Wednesday afternoons, after he and Donghyuck traded places with Johnny and Mark.

“Affective immediately,” Kun had insisted, but Jaehyun had been sat behind the counter for two hours now, and the only customer had been a very confused pigeon that Jaehyun had tried to shoo out, only for it to begin frolicking around the seating area as Jaehyun chased frantically after it. All the while, his co-worker and self-appointed bane of his existence, Doyoung Kim, laughed hysterically at his suffering.

After ten minutes, the pigeon decided it had had enough of tormenting Jaehyun and waddled out with double the dignity Jaehyun felt as he slumped into one of the booths. Doyoung was still snickering. Jaehyun grabbed a napkin from the table and threw it at him, but it fluttered to the ground before it could reach. 

“Just because you and Kun are a _thing,”_ he grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. “God, you're a pain.”

Doyoung stopped laughing, straightening up. “A thing? What thing? We’re not a thing, don't be dumb.”

“Doyoung, do you _know_ how many times I've caught you two making out in the freezer? _Too fucking many.”_ Ignoring Doyoung’s aghast expression was easy; Jaehyun didn't even bother with sitting up. “Spare me and do it ‘round back, next time.”

Doyoung cleared his throat, already having recovered from the shock, and smirked. Jaehyun couldn't see it, but he could  _ feel  _ it, and it was bad. Whatever Doyoung was preparing to say - Jaehyun might end up trying to bleach his ears. 

“Brave of you to assume we haven't already.”

Jaaehyun shot up as he yelled out in disgust. Meanwhile, Doyoung was, in all meanings of the word,  _ ROFL. _

Before either of them could regain composure, the overhead doorbell rang.

In  _ he  _ walked, all fluffy hair and perfectly autumnal oversized jumper that would quite literally drown Jaehyun. (It looked comfy, okay? Can't blame a dude for imagining.) “Uh, is this a bad time?” Johnny didn't notice Jaehyun immediately, his eyes flitting over to Doyoung’s frozen figure on the floor first, before turning to scope out the rest of the small parlour.

When their eyes met, time slowed. Had Johnny’s eyes always been that pretty? Their honey-brown seemed to glow with light behind the wire frames of his glasses, easily complementing the stark black tone of his hair. Even for just a few moments, Jaehyun saw Johnny in a new light - literally, the parlour had a more orange-y, home-like glow, rather than the all-exposing white light that lit up the rink. Johnny seemed softer, less… mean. 

Well, he did. Until he finally processed Jaehyun’s presence and his expression turned stony, eyebrows furrowing.

“Jung? Why are you here?” Johnny spat, but it lacked its usual venom as he glanced at Doyoung, who was just beginning to pull himself off the floor. It seemed like they knew each other. Just like Jaehyun thought; Johnny wasn't like that with anyone but him. Something ugly and green settled in his gut, but he pushed it away, clearing his throat.

“I work here, obviously.” He pointed to the name tag pinned to his apron, and then to the large logo that the garment boasted. 

“I know that,  _ obviously.”  _ Johnny’s mocking voice was almost as annoying as his smirk, but unfortunately, Kun was now standing in the kitchen doorway, Doyoung somehow appearing next to him, and if Jaehyun was rude to a customer, he’d have his head. So he gritted his teeth in a smile that screamed ‘I crave death’ and slipped behind the counter.

“How can I help you?” it was his ‘customer voice’, for the first time in forever. Even Kun seemed surprised - Jaehyun was usually far more relaxed at work, and he talked to customers like old friends. Now, every syllable seemed strained. Doyoung shot him a pointed glance before he and Kun disappeared, and Jaehyun could tell he would never manage to escape before they got to interrogate him. Doyoung was bad enough on his own, but Doyoung  _ and  _ Kun? Jaehyun might as well give up now.

Johnny, if anything, looked proud. That shit-eating grin of his was back at full force, and he leant over the counter, bringing both himself closer to Jaehyun’s height and their faces directly in front of each other. Jaehyun scowled, but refused to back down. If Johnny wanted to intimidate him, then he was going to intimidate him right back. 

“I’ll have an iced americano,” Johnny said, still smirking. Jaehyun raised an eyebrow, and Johnny continued. “Large, if you would.” 

Nodding, Jaehyun slowly backed away, not breaking eye contact until he had no choice but to turn towards the machine. He worked quickly, as always (his work ethic was the only reason he managed to beat Doyoung for Employee of the Week, considering all Doyoung did was flirt with Kun and somehow still get paid for doing a grand total of nothing) but when he reached for the ice, he faltered. Spinning to face Johnny, whom he found already looking at him, he ignored Johnny’s shocked, almost guilty expression and asked, “iced? After practice?”

Despite the pink the brushed over his cheeks, Johnny scoffed. “Don't tell me - you're a wimp, too? Mark insists on getting hot chocolate with Hyuck after every practice-”

“No?” Jaehyun pointed to the half-finished pot of ice cream he had set off to the side to eat while the customers weren’t looking. It wasn't technically allowed, but he hadn't been fired yet, so as long as he didn't get caught, he’d be fine. Probably. “That’s mine.”

Johnny seemed surprised. “Green tea?”

“Got a problem with that?” Jaehyun finished the order slower than usual, distracted by what might be the first real conversation he and Johnny had ever had.

“Actually, I don't.” Johnny shrugged, taking a sip of his drink and nodding approvingly. “Guess you do deserve rights sometimes.”

“Excuse me?”

Johnny ignored him. “I never expected you to work in a place like this, though. It seems a bit… pastel for your tastes.”

“What do you know about my tastes?”

“Something more, I don't know, emo? Hardcore? Considering you’re a hockey player and all.”

“Can hockey players not like pastel colours, Suh?”

Johnny flushed, hard. Even his ears turned a bright red and he spluttered, suddenly finding the display window awfully interesting. “That- that’s not what I meant.”

“Really?” Jaehyun was definitely smirking, and he knew that Johnny knew, even if his eyes were trained somewhere else. “Well, while Donghyuck might have his whole ‘biker emo’ aesthetic, I’m more of a jumper and jeans kinda guy.” Jaehyun definitely didn't miss the way Johnny’s eyes flickered over his outfit, lingering where his baby blue striped uniform shirt was unbuttoned to show his collarbones. Suddenly, he was glad Kun had decided to put “must be eye candy” on the job application. Not only was it a great way to draw in customers, but it was also helpful in situations like these. Admittedly, Johnny’s eyes on him made his stomach churn in this weird, fluttery way that Jaehyun somewhat associated with his first boyfriend, but Jaehyun was too busy silently laughing at Johnny’s struggle to make the connection.

“Anyway, I’m- I’m leaving. Bye, Jung.” Johnny still didn't look at him as he made his way towards the door

Jaehyun wiggled his fingers and batted his eyelashes at Johnny’s retreating figure. “Bye-bye,” he replied, voice as sickly sweet as he could make it without permanently injuring his vocal cords. Johnny didn't acknowledge him at all, just disappeared around the street corner as Jaehyun let out a breath that sounded far dreamier than intended. His eyes darted around, silently praying that no one had heard-

But, of course, no one could escape Doyoung Kim. 

“What the fuck, Jae.”

*

At their first encounter, Johnny had known that he and Jaehyun would never get along. Jaehyun was too…  _ ugh, _ as Johnny has told Mark, who just raised an eyebrow and muttered something unintelligible, but Johnny could sense it was something sassy. He later discovered it was "don't knock it 'till you've tried it," which Johnny definitely took the wrong way at first. But there was no reason to taint Mark's innocent, seventeen-year-old ears with his unfortunately dirty mind. It was one of the (many) demerits to having Ten as temporary coach-slash-headache. Ten many have been younger than Johnny, but he had been skating for longer than Mark had been alive, so he was the perfect step-in coach while they searched for an actual, qualified one. Taeil was working hard in his role as manager while his injury healed, but Johnny knew it wasn't easy juggling a full-time job, an injury, and a rag-tail group of skaters, even with the support of his long-term boyfriend, Yuta. The same Yuta who was also coaching Jaehyun's ice hockey team. 

The thing was, Johnny didn't have an excuse as to why he didn't like Jaehyun, other than  _ 'rubbing him the wrong way', _ which, for one, was hardly an acceptable reason, and also made Ten cackle like a deranged witch when he had said it. And hence, Johnny had made it his mission to find out exactly why he was so averse to even the thought of the other.

The answer never came. 

But, just as Johnny had begun to accept that he and Jaehyun would be enemies forever,  _ that _ happened. After his epiphany in the form of green tea ice cream and a few too many buttons undone, Johnny realised: Jaehyun was  _ hot _ , and Johnny? So, so gay. 

Johnny was also prideful and stubborn. Which meant there was no way he was going to let Jaehyun see his sudden change in demeanour, lest he become the laughing stock of his friend group and - worst of all - Jaehyun himself.

So, Johnny pretended nothing had happened. Whenever Jaehyun approached him, Johnny shot him down with the usual snarky remarks, but even he could tell they were lacking their usual edge. And that, in turn, gave Jaehyun the confidence to up his game. 

It was obvious, really. The lingering stares that Johnny could feel, or the eyebrow raised in challenge whenever their eyes met. Jaehyun was testing him, but Johnny wouldn't let himself crack. No man could break Johnny Suh’s resolve, let alone Jaehyun Jung.

His dog could, though.

Johnny couldn't tell exactly what had happened - it was all clear between when Donghyuck had called to say their team practice had finished early and when he arrived, but turned fuzzy after he was attacked by a ball of golden fur and immediately fell in love. 

He vaguely remembered a yell, an unfamiliar name that Johnny couldn't quite process, as he was knocked unceremoniously onto his butt. The  _ ‘oh fuck, I’m gonna die’  _ moment, along with his entire life flashing before his eyes and a stark realisation that he hadn't written a will (he needed to make sure Mark got all of his Yuri On Ice figures, if only so that no one else knew they existed) were the most unpleasant things for your brain to throw at you while you fell, so Johnny was definitely relieved when they were replaced with a sort of incomprehensible happiness as a wet tongue began licking his face, a furry figure jumping on top of him. He was pushed to the floor as the assault of canine affection continued, the creak of frozen hinges being drowned out by Johnny’s giggles and the dog’s happy barks.

A familiar voice easily cut through the racket.

“Charlie, heel!” the attack halted as Charlie peeled themself off Johnny and hurried to Jaehyun’s side. They followed as Jaehyun extended a hand toward Johnny, shoving their snout under it and making Jaehyun shoo them away gently. “I’m so sorry about her. She gets excited around strangers.”

He pulled Johnny up with an expectant expression, waiting for his hand to be slapped away, but Johnny just brought his other hand to trap Jaehyun in place.

There was a moment of silence. They looked into each other’s eyes, unblinking and barely breathing. 

Johnny, breathless, said, “I’m in love. With your dog.”

*

Johnny ended up staying, even if he was nearly an hour early for his slot and Mark hadn't arrived because  _ someone  _ (Donghyuck) decided that ‘pranking’ Johnny by telling him they had already left was a great idea.

(“I thought you two would bond!”

“No, you didn't, you devil,” Jaehyun retorted.

Donghyuck had just laughed. “Yeah. you’re right. I didn't.” And he skated away with a tiny, yet oh-so-annoying wave.)

It didn't seem as if Johnny was complaining. The last six times Jaehyun had looked over, Johnny had Charlie in his lap, fussing her all over. She was definitely going to be a nightmare when they got home - she was always excitable after meeting someone she liked, and she  _ really  _ liked Johnny. For such a large dog, the labrador looked positively tiny compared to Johnny, and Jaehyun would be lying if he said it didn't make his heart  _ twang  _ painfully.

The shooting pain of a blunt object bouncing off his shin snapped him out of his trance, and he spins around to see his teammates snickering as the puck glided back towards them. 

“Busy, captain?” Sicheng called, leaning on his stick. Jaehyun had half the mind to knock it out from under him, but unfortunately, Yuta would murder them if they sustained any serious injuries before their next competition -  _ especially  _ since Taeyong - best manager  _ ever _ \- had bagged them a state-wide televised tournament. It was the perfect opportunity to catch the eye of scouts, and to hell if Jaehyun wasn't going to get them there.

Right now, though, stopping his teammates’ snickering was the immediate goal.

“Yuta, how about we run extra drills now? We have time.”

Yuta looked up from his bag. “I guess. I meant to get back at Yangyang for the pickle incident, anyway.”

“How was I meant to know they’d smell that bad? Or that they’d stain the ice?”

“Common fucking sense?” Jaemin scoffed.

Jeno rolled his eyes. “Don't act like you weren’t cheering him on the entire time.”

“So were you! And Chenle!”

“No, I was trying to break up Jisung and Hyuck’s bro-shake before Yukhei saw it and tried to join in.” Donghyuck and Jisung glared at him, and Yukhei frowned. Chenle shrugged defensively. “What? It was ugly!”

Jisung scoffed and said, “You’re ugly!”

“Bitch- is you blind?”

“Anyway,” Yuta clapped his hands, interrupting Jisung’s retort, and checked his watch. “Get the cones and we’ll run some weave shots- Yangyang, stop complaining or I'll put you up against Yukhei next week.”

“Again?” Yangyang groaned. “That’s so unfair, he’s like eight-foot-tall!”

“I  _ wish  _ I was eight foot. Then I’d be taller than Johnny,” sighed Yukhei, almost dreamily.

“Not happening, kid.”

Jaehyun’s head shot up at the sound of Johnny’s voice. His eyes quickly locked onto Johnny’s figure, the way he grinned so perfectly, not too many teeth, eyes squinted just enough to have Jaehyun’s heart skip a beat.

And another, when Johnny’s eyes met his and his smile widened.

Jaehyun was the first to look away.

If the room dropped suddenly in temperature afterwards, he resolutely ignored it.

*

Johnny, Jaehyun soon realised, was absolutely unreadable. 

Jaehyun had decided to keep bringing Charlie to practice, mostly because she hadn't been getting out as much with the weather cooling and Jaehyun’s workload increasing as his deadlines drew closer and closer. And, somewhat because he liked seeing her interact with Johnny when he arrived.

Now though, Johnny had taken to coming in early for his slot - Jaehyun mustered up the courage to as why, one day, and Johnny had replied with, “I told you. I’m in love with your dog,” which had confused Jaehyun to no end. Because, you see, half the time when Jaehyun looked over at the stands (to check on Charlie, he reasons), Charlie was nosing at Johnny’s hands where they had stilled, and Johnny was barely looking at her. Other than when he saw Jaehyun looking, and turned his attention back to Charlie.

Then, there was the parlour. Jaehyun’s shift ended ten minutes after the rink closed for the day, but Johnny always seemed to arrive just before he was set to clock out, and Jaehyun was forced to take his order while Doyoung sniggered in the background. Even with the sun halfway under the horizon as it did this time of year, Johnny still ordered a large iced americano. Usually to takeaway, but recently, Johnny had been claiming it was ‘too cold’ to drink it outside, and ended up sticking around until the end of Jaehyun’s shift. Sometimes, they’d walk out together. Sometimes, Johnny would say  _ goodbye.  _ And, out of courtesy, Jaehyun would say it back.

So, yeah, Jaehyun was confused. When the hell had his and Johnny’s relationship changed from “Get off the ice, loser,” to “See you next week, Jung,”? He didn't know. Jaehyun was just glad the ‘last name’ thing hadn't changed. He might have a heart attack if Johnny actually called him by his name.

“Hey, Jaehyun, you want this?”

Jaehyun froze. Slowly, he looked up from where he was pulling off one of his skates to see Johnny looming overhead. “What?” he asked hoarsely.

“Do you want this?” Johnny repeated. He waved his hand and only then did Jaehyun notice the ice cream he held. Next to him, Charlie barked excitedly but remained sitting. He’d have to give her a treat for good behaviour when his brain resumed regular function.

“Uh-”

“I got it for Mark because he said he was tired, but I forgot he doesn't like green tea. Plus, Hyuck dragged him off somewhere…” 

“Oh, uh, sure.” Johnny handed it to him. “Thanks.” 

Johnny just nodded, rocking on his heels. Jaehyun used one hand to hold the ice cream, trying to eat it before it melted, while the other fumbled with his laces. He barely noticed Johnny kneeling down until a mop of black hair obscured his vision, and his hand was gently pushed away.

“Let me help,” Johnny said, and set to work unlacing Jaehyun’s skate, as if it was completely normal. Jaehyun on the other hand, was one second away from losing his mind. His lips were turning numb from where his hand had stilled, and he jumped when Johnny spoke, smearing ice cream over his mouth. He hastily wiped it away.

Johnny had pulled one skate off and was inspecting it, sat back on his heels. “Dude, these are robust as hell. How do you move like  _ that  _ in these?”

Jaehyun had half the mind to ask what the  _ fuck _ that meant, but for his own peace of mind, he refrained himself. Rather, he said something just as stupid, and just as mortifying. “I could ask the same of you.” He pointed to Johnny’s own skates, waiting in the rack next to him. “The blade is so thin, it’s amazing it doesn't break.”

“Those bad boys will never break. Mostly because I have the thickest blade guards you will ever see, but also because I’m fucking  _ good.  _ I know what I'm doing,” he placed the shoe to the side, looking up at Jaehyun through his lashes. For a split second, Jaehyun genuinely forgot how to breathe. Then, Johnny’s lips quirked up and he said, “Your ice cream is melting.”

“Fuck!” Jaehyun rushed to lick where it had begun to drip onto his hand, barely beating Charlie to the chase, appearances forgotten. When he looked back, Johnny was staring far into the distance. If he was braver, Jaehyun might’ve pointed out the redness of his cheeks - but he wasn't, so he didn't. He busied himself with finishing the ice cream instead.

Johnny stood up soon after, brushing invisible dust from his leggings and clearing his throat. He said, “I should probably go look for Mark.”

Jaehyun nodded, not trusting his voice. His trainers were still in his bag, so rather than stand up and throw the remaining lolly stick away, he took a leap of faith and chucked it. He missed. Shocker. And Johnny, ever the good citizen, shot him an amused look and picked it up to throw it away himself. Jaehyun called an apology after him, but Johnny waved him off and continued on.

(Johnny had given up his search and hopped on the ice right as Jaehyun was about to leave. It was then that Mark appeared with Donghyuck, the two of them suspiciously ruffled. They froze and separated. When Johnny made a move to speak, Donghyuck bolted, yelling, “Not this time, fuckers!”. Mark provided no explanation.)

*

In hindsight, they probably should’ve realised just how suspicious Mark and Donghyuck were, weeks ago. Months maybe. Right before Wednesday practice, Mark would arrive and promptly be whisked away by Donghyuck, but Johnny had never really noticed. Probably because he poured most of his attention into winding up Jaehyun, but that was beside the point. And anyway, they were cool now. If being really fucking awkward and low-key flirting was what contributed to ‘cool’, then yes. They were cool.

The point was, Johnny was at least 86% sure Mark and Donghyuck were more than friends. 

After spending an entire hour scrutinising a dead-silent Mark, trying to get information at the same time as trying to run through drills, Johnny gave up. 

He packed away early, shooed Mark onto his bus - last one of the night - and locked up before making his way down to his favourite place.

(Johnny didn't know when the parlour had become a ‘favourite’, and he sure wasn't about to delve into any self-reflection to figure it out. That’s future-Johnny’s problem.)

The route had been branded into his mind at this point, and he followed it without a second thought. Sometimes, he’d stop and think - why? He never found a true answer, but the evil little voice in head sung over and over,  _ “red strings, Johnny. Fate, you idiot.” He _ resolutely ignored it.

The thing was, Johnny had  _ really _ hated Jaehyun. He had thought he was brash and thoughtless and even the thought of his dumb, annoying, pretty face would drive Johnny insane. It still did, but now his heart did this weird thing, even when Jaehyun looked up at him and yelped in what could only be absolute terror.

Johnny laughed at his reaction, even the over-exaggerated eye roll, and settled on the stool closest to the counter while Jaehyun prepared his usual. He watched, more focussed than he ever thought to be, on Jaehyun’s movements; the subtle rippling of muscles under his thin shirt as he scooped ice into the cup, veiny forearms with just the slightest hint of goosebumps as he rolled up his sleeves, and calloused hands as they went through the practised motions of preparing Johnny americano. He moved like he skated: purposeful, without hesitation. 

It was like he was in a trance. Johnny mindlessly handed over his money, accepted the drink (a little on the watery side, but Johnny didn't mind. The server was more than cute enough to make up for it.) and stared as Jaehyun started talking. Something about how he still had fifteen minutes left of his shift and Johnny always drank too fast. Johnny struggled to process the words, feeling very much like he was half underwater, and the only thing he could focus on was the dip of Jaehyun cupid’s bow, so he just grinned and shook his head a little. It didn't help, and Johnny’s eyes now locked onto Jaehyun’s Adam's apple. He was talking about something - Donghyuck? Mark? Donghyuck  _ and  _ Mark? - but Johnny could not tear his gaze away. Until Jaehyun cleared his throat and Johnny was torn from his daze.

“Huh?” 

Jaehyun had a lollipop in his mouth, swirling it around. He pushed it to one side, the stick hanging out, and said: “I  _ said,  _ my shift’s over. You walking?”

“Uh, yeah. Yeah.” Johnny jumped off the stool and patted himself down. Phone? Check. Wallet? Check. Jaehyun? Gone. 

(Logically, Johnny knew he’d gone into the back to change out of his uniform and lock up, but  _ fucking hell  _ he could move quietly. What the fuck kind of hockey player moves like that?)

What followed was their usual routine. They walked in the same direction, past the same signposts and down onto Johnny’s street. He lived in an apartment block, just a few minutes away from Jaehyun’s own, which was where they would split ways. Jaehyun would continue on, and Johnny would watch him leave.

The first time it happened was to Johnny’s delight and Jaehyun’s despair, hence it had consisted of almost entirely one-sided conversation and Johnny trying to push as many of Jaehyun’s buttons as he could. He wasn't very successful, and decided to ease off a bit. 

After a while, it became less awkward. Johnny didn't know when Jaehyun stopped hating him (though he had a sneaking suspicion it had something to do with a certain labrador who had taken quite a liking to him), but it was as though a new leaf had been turned. Conversation flowed like a river, speeding up and slowing down as it wound around itself, unpredictable in its movements as it forged through any barriers in front of it. 

Johnny really, really liked talking to Jaehyun.

“Do you work this time every week?” he asked as they approached the traffic lights. They were green, and cars sped past them so fast they appeared almost just as streaks of light.

Jaehyun pushed the button, though his eyes were locked with Johnny’s. He raised a brow. “You come at the same time every week, isn't it obvious?” 

“I was just checking! A shame, that’s all.”

Jaehyun raked a hand through his hair and gave Johnny a questioning look. “Why?”

“Oh, uh.” it took a moment for Johnny to remember where he was, too absorbed in how soft Jaehyun hair seemed to speak. He only snapped out of it when the crossing began beeping, signalling for them to cross. Jaehyun had already started off ahead, so Johnny ran to catch up with him. “Well, if you didn't, then you could stay a little longer at the rink, while Mark and I are practising,” he trailed off, a little out of breath from his run. “To- to help figure out if him and Hyuck are actually dating, that is,” he added, remembering what Jaehyun had been talking about earlier. He silently prayed Jaehyun thought the flush climbing up his neck was from the running, though he knew that was a lie.

“Is that the only reason? Or…” Jaehyun looked just a little too hopeful, and Johnny felt his heart squeeze.

“Well, if you’re lucky, I might let you stay a bit after closing. Have a little longer on the ice. Maybe, not just practising…” he hoped it sounded enticing, and for a moment Jaehyun’s face lit up, but soon morphed into an expression of confusion, brows furrowed and eyes squinting.

“Wait, you work there? At the rink?”

“Yeah? I’ve been working there for years. You never noticed?”

“Fuck- no? How did I not realise, I’m never allowed to stay as long as you!”

Johnny laughed as Jaehyun threw his hands up in frustration. “Staff privileges,” he sing-songed.

Jaehyun huffed. “If that's the case, I might just have to take you up on that offer.”

“Really?”

Jaehyun looked up at him, voice soft, and said: “Yeah. I don't get to spend a lot doing anything other than practising, recently, with all the games coming up.”

“You hoping to get scouted?” Johnny asked. He sensed the change in atmosphere, but pushed down the urge to crack a joke or do anything to lighten it. It was scarce he and Jaehyun had any sort of serious conversation, considering their history of being ‘enemies’, but that had changed. They weren’t on two different sides, not anymore. Johnny doubted whether they really had been in the first place. Now, he wanted to know Jaehyun, the real Jaehyun.

“Not me - Donghyuck. And the others, but Donghyuck is the only one that's ever really shown interest in competing professionally.” Jaehyun picked at his sleeve; Johnny batted away the thought of taking Jaehyun’s hand in his own.

Johnny hummed in acknowledgement, and they fell into a comfortable silence. It was like a spell, how the night surrounded them. The world around them bustled with the noises of the night but sounded like nothing but white noise as they walked side by side. 

Eventually, Johnny broke the spell. “Can I have your number? So you can text me if you wanna come back to the rink after your shift finishes.”

For a moment, Jaehyun was silent. Johnny - probably for the first time in his entire life - wondered if he was too forward. But before the panic could settle, Jaehyun smiled and said: “okay.”

*

The next week, Jaehyun got off his shift and hurried to get changed and out the door. When Doyoung yelled, asking him what the rush was, he managed to shout back “Johnny!” before he was already hurrying towards the rink. He had already sent Johnny a text - the only thing left was to get there.

If you asked him why he was running, he would say that he was excited for some extra time on the ice. If you asked the evil little voice in his head, it would reply, “Of course, it’s Johnny!”

Johnny greeted him at the door, armed with keys jingling in his hand and a killer smile.

When they entered the rink - honestly, it was nothing like what Jaehyun expected. All they did was… fuck around. Genuinely, like teenagers. They played tag, Johnny tried to teach Jaehyun what a backward crossover was and Jaehyun attempted to educate Johnny on the rules of ice hockey. They both failed, spectacularly.

They called it a day when the clock hit twelve and headed home, like the responsible adults they were - only they bickered the entire walk there and ended up taking double the time. 

It was only after Jaehyun had dumped his things by the door and flopped face-first onto his sofa that he realised: they didn't discuss Mark and Donghyuck at all.

*

A few weeks after, Jaehyun was considerably less rushed, even managing a “fuck you, Doyoung!” when he was teased. To his horror, Kun overheard and of course, in true Kun fashion, nonchalantly replied: “that’s my job, though?”

Jaehyun had never thrown himself through the door so quickly. Really, it’s a miracle all his bones are still intact after being put under that much force. He was also very glad there were so few people insane enough to go to an ice cream parlour in the middle of autumn, lest some poor, unfortunate soul hear the cursed conversations that happen inside. Jaehyun was not one of those people, to his own despair. 

He and Johnny had managed to briefly discuss Mark and Donghyuck during their ‘extra ice time’, as it had come to be known, and they had come up with a test. 

Step one: Invite Donghyuck and Mark to their extra ice time.

Step two: Push one of them over (safely).

Hypothesis: If the other laughs, they’re friends; if they rush over, they’re dating.

Johnny was convinced it was going to work, and Jaehyun was too preoccupied with practising the backwards crossover that Johnny had taught him to put up a fight. Plus, his suggestion to “ask” had already been shot down. By the both of them. Number one rule of adulting: teens always lie.

Today, though, was the day they’d put their plan into action. Jaehyun arrived just minutes before Mark and Donghyuck, winking back at Johnny when they all entered the rink. Fifteen minutes of very intense ice tag later, it was go time. 

Using Jaehyun’s superior hockey skills, they launched a puck into Mark’s path. Johnny had assured him Mark knew how to fall without injuring himself on his blades or the ice, but the sound as Mark collided with the wall still made Jaehyun wince. Donghyuck was also alerted by the noise - Johnny and Jaehyun held their breath as they waited for his reaction.

For a moment, all was still. Donghyuck then took off in Mark’s direction, and as soon as he was within radius, started cackling with laughter. He laughed as he helped Mark up, as he brushed him off, even as Mark slapped him on the arm for laughing at him. There were tears in his eyes by the time Johnny and Jaehyun made their way over.

Jaehyun looked at Johnny; Johnny looked back and shook his head. Jaehyun rubbed a hand over his face, letting out a frustrated sigh.

“What the fuck, guys,” he said. “Are you dating or not?” 

Mark and Donghyuck shared look. “You didn't know?” Donghyuck had the  _ audacity  _ to look surprised, and Jaehyun suddenly wished it was he who the puck had tripped.

“You kept running away!” Jaehyun shouted as he threw his arms up. He narrowly missed hitting Johnny in the face, but that wasn’t important at the moment.

Mark took the chance to step in - Donghyuck looked like he was about to start stewing, and that was never a good time for anyone. “In our defence-”

“There is nothing you can say that will explain this,” Johnny said, about as stern as a chihuahua wearing a fur coat, but the message was still there. 

Jaehyun nodded in agreement. “Nothing. I want it to be out there that we’re disappointed in the both of you for keeping this from us.” 

“Aight dads-” Donghyuck smiled when the two of them froze- “we’re sorry.” 

Johnny was stunned silent. Jaehyun, on the other hand, was not. “Dads? We’re not- that’s- shut up, Donghyuck!” 

Backing up towards the rink’s exit, Mark grinned, so unnatural it felt as though Donghyuck had possessed his body for a split second. He cleared his throat and said: ”We’ll leave you two lovebirds alone.”

That had Johnny snapping out of his haze, just to protest. “Love- that’s you!! You're the lovebirds, you- you lovebirds!!” 

With a final wave, Mark and Donghyuck hobbled, still in their skates, out into the changing rooms. The sound the blades made was horrific, but Jaehyun was too shook to even process it. Johnny, too, just stared as they retreated.

“Cowards,” he eventually spat out. Jaehyun was inclined to agree.

*

After that, they didn't invite the traitors to their extra ice time. Mostly because they took it upon themselves to just show up half the time without invitation, not that Jaehyun particularly minded - it just took away from the time he had with Johnny, alone. (If you asked him when that started to take prevalence over the ice, he would probably scoff and deny it. Inside, he’d be thinking “that’s the way it always was.'')

Maybe that’s why he bothered to pick the phone up in the first place. It was Johnny’s number, he could tell from the ringtone that rang through his dark room and startled him awake - Candyman by Christina Aguilera. Johnny had insisted it was a classic, and prodded Jaehyun with his loaned hockey stick when he rolled his eyes. Jaehyun took the opportunity to launch the puck into the goal. He smiled at the memory of Johnny’s protests and, quietly, as though to not wake Charlie where she slept soundly next to him, put the phone to his ear.

The voice that greeted him was, decisively, not Johnny. Unless Johnny had aged forty years in the span of four hours, which Jaehyun, somehow, didn't think was the case.

“-he’s still here, could you please come collect him, he’s delirious.”

“Sorry, who is this? Why do you have my friend’s phone?”

“I’m the ice rink’s owner. This was the last number he called and-”

Jaehyun suddenly remembered that Johnny didn't have a password on his phone, like an idiot. Though, he supposed it was helpful in this situation.

“That’s okay. What’s wrong with him?”

“He’s been here since the morning and hasn’t left once. I got a call saying the lights are on, so I came to check it out and-”

“I’ll be there soon.” with that, Jaehyun hung up and threw his covers off. The action woke up Charlie, but he just kissed her on the forehead and told her he’d be back soon.

He was halfway to the door when he paused.

Jaehyun thought about the fact that it was three in the morning and about his already strained sleeping schedule. About how he was in his pyjamas, how this was entirely insane for a Wednesday morning. Then, he said “Fuck it” and threw on his coat.

*

After arriving, wrestling Johnny off the rink, out of his skates and into his car, Jaehyun encountered his first problem: he did not know where Johnny lived. In fact, before he passed out, Johnny giggled and said, “That’s fourth date stuff, Jaehyunnie.” He pointedly ignored the heat radiating from his face at the nickname. 

Rifling through his stuff when he was dead asleep in Jaehyun’s backseat felt a little weird, so Jaehyun was at a standstill. Both physically and in regards to Johnny’s situation. Really, traffic lights were such a pain. However, Jaehyun took that moment of stillness to twist in his seat, intending to wake up Johnny and pray he was at least somewhat not-delirious, but in typical dumbass fashion, ended up staring at his sleeping face until the light turned green. Was that creepy? Probably. It wasn't his fault that Johnny was just that cute, though. He’s only human.

Which meant that there was only one option - for Jaehyun to take Johnny back to his place. What that the best plan? Definitely not. The elevator in his apartment building had been broken for months; Jaehyun lived on the sixth floor. But it didn't seem as though Johnny would be waking up anytime soon, let alone be in the right condition to walk himself home, so Jaehyun had no choice. 

It just so happened that that choice involved painstakingly lugging a six-foot man up six floors worth of stairs, and Jaehyun was ready to deal with that. Kind of. He managed, anyway.

After fumbling with the lock for a good five minutes, all the while with Johnny draped over him and drooling on his jacket, Jaehyun burst through his door with the force of a very angry rhinoceros and unceremoniously dumped Johnny on his sofa. His head hit the pillow with a thump, but he didn't wake up, didn't even stir. Even as he slid to the floor, Jaehyun had to admit it was impressive. 

He took a moment to catch his breath, pushed down thoughts of how fucking weird it was to have Johnny - Johnny  _ fucking  _ Suh - in his home, then pulled himself to his feet. He shut Charlie in his room, just so she wouldn't wake up Johnny, and before he let himself collapse back into bed, he managed to heave the thickest blanket he could find and lay it over Johnny. He resisted the urge to tuck him in and carefully avoided any prolonged contact. 

With that, he threw his coat onto the floor somewhere and flopped into bed. Within minutes, he was out like a light.

*

Johnny was not in his own bed, nor was he in a bed at all. It was the first thing he noticed, the second being that he was still wearing his sweaty, gross training gear, and he smelt awfully like a worn sock. Not exactly pleasant, considering it was- god, what day was it? Wednesday?

Johnny groaned at the realisation. “Ugh, it’s Wednesday.”

“Mood.” Johnny startled into a sitting position at the familiar voice, throwing off the heavy blanket in his haste. Belatedly, he realised Charlie was at his feet, sniffing curiously.

“Fuck, Jaehyun. You scared the shit out of me.” despite the shock, Jaehyun’s appearance did help a few more puzzle pieces fall into place. He gave Charlie a pat on the head, and she disappeared into the kitchen, satisfied. (Johnny almost blushed when he realised he was in Jaehyun’s apartment, on Jaehyun’s sofa, under Jaehyun’s blanket. Luckily, he was not yet coherent enough to have any real reaction.)

Jaehyun scoffed, pushing himself off the doorframe and making his way to sit in front of Johnny, on the coffee table. “Yeah, well, try getting a call at three-fucking-AM telling that your friend has pushed himself to the point of exhaustion on the ice. That’s fucking scary, Johnny. What were you  _ thinking?  _ You easily could’ve tripped, or- you’re wearing knives on your feet, for fuck’s sake. I know you’re smarter than that.”

Johnny carefully ignored that Jaehyun, for the first time, called him his friend. Well, more like put it on the backburner, because Jaehyun was getting annoyed and that was more than enough fire for any one time.  _ Good luck trying to dig yourself out of this one, idiot _ , Johnny’s internal voice teased. 

“I am, I just… got carried away?” it sounded like a lie, and Jaehyun’s expression was painted with disappointment. Feebly, Johnny tried to reason. “Look, there’s this competition coming up and it’s  _ really  _ important and I felt like I wasn't putting as much effort into my routine as I was with Mark’s and I want to do well-”

“Johnny, you’re not gonna do well if you don't take care of yourself!”

“I know! I’ve just been so focussed on Mark, I-” Johnny sighed, dragging a hand over his face. He looked up to see Jaehyun looking at him from his perch on the coffee table, pity clear in his eyes. “I guess I forgot about myself.”

Suddenly, Jaehyun’s tone softened. “Johnny, I get it. It’s the same with Donghyuck.”

“Is it, though? You’re a team. Mark and I just share a manager,” Johnny said, though he wasn't really sure why. Jaehyun’s eyebrows furrowed and he cocked his head to the side as he spoke.

“What is it that you’re worried about? You’re giving mixed signals.”

“I am?” Play dumb, Johnny. Great strategy. 

“Yeah. Are you worried about Mark or yourself?”

In his mind, Johnny sighed. No escaping this one, huh. “Both, I guess?”

“Not helpful.”

“Shut up.” Johnny laughed. “I mean, I want Mark to succeed, for himself. But I guess I also want him to succeed where I didn't. Where I can't.” At Jaehyun’s confused expression, Johnny continued. “I can't do this forever. I’m not good enough to make a career out of it, but Mark is. Maybe, if he succeeds, I can…”

“Live vicariously through him?”

“Well, when you put it that way-”

“You can’t live like that! You need to live  _ your _ life, Johnny.”

“Well, what are you gonna do? You said it yourself, Donghyuck wants to get scouted. What happens to your team then?”

Jaehyun was silent for a moment, mouth open in shock. “I hadn’t thought of that…”

Guilt hit like a truck. Johnny tried to make amends, but Jaehyun just let out a defeated sigh and flopped down on the sofa next to him.

“We’re a mess,” Jaehyun finally said after what felt like an eternity. Johnny breathed out a laugh. Hesitantly, he reached over to pat Jaehyun’s head, smiling when Jaehyun let him.

“Thank you for coming to get me.”

“Don't worry about it.” Jaehyun turned towards him with a small grin. Johnny kind of wanted to kiss him. “We’re friends, right?”

_ Friends,  _ Johnny internal voice repeated over and over, until Johnny pushed it to the back of his mind. Playfully pinching one of Jaehyun’s cheeks, he replied: “Of course, we are.”

*

Mark’s voice was the first thing he heard when he emerged from the changing rooms on Thursday. He only recognised the tone, couldn't make out the words until he got closer to where Mark was sat in the stands, holding his phone to his ear with one hand and clicking away on his laptop with the other.

“-and, booked. I think Johnny’s coming; I’ll call you back?”

“What am I doing?”

Mark startled and his phone flounced dangerously between his fingertips. “Uh- you, well-” he looked around. “Look, ice! Let’s go, practice, yay.”

“Nuh-uh. Why are you trying to be sneaky?” he sneaked a look at Mark’s phone screen. “What does Donghyuck have to do with it?”

“Uh,” he trailed off, very conspicuously looking for an exit. 

“Mark.” silence. “ _ Mark.” _

“Okay, fine! We kinda arranged for Jaehyun to come to your next comp. We wanted it to be a surprise, but...”

Oh, fuck. No pressure, then. Just his crush coming to see the competition he’d freaked out over,  _ to him,  _ just a day ago. That’s super chill. Slowly, he asked: “Why did you do that?”

“Hyuck said that Jaehyun came to practise super tired yesterday, and so were you, and then you were really friendly to each other during the crossover even though they ran over their time and you  _ hate  _ that, so we kinda assumed you wouldn't mind? You’re friends now, aren’t you?”

“Friends?” Johnny struggled to suppress the conflict of emotions that grew inside him at the memory of him and Jaehyun’s conversation. Which occurred within Jaehyun’s apartment. Which Johnny had been inside. Just saying. “We are.”

“Oh, neat. So it’s cool then?”

Johnny nodded. “It’s cool.” 

It was most definitely not cool. 

Johnny, however, would only realise as much just two days before the competition, after waking in a cold sweat. He’d had a dream that his trousers ripped during his short programme but he kept going, scored minus points for indecency and Jaehyun, who was his boyfriend in this alternate timeline, broke up with him because of it. Apparently, Johnny’s subconscious was hinting at something. 

How did he deal with this, you ask? The answer was simple: he fumbled in the dark for his phone, winced as the light tried valiantly to burn his eyeballs, and tweeted “tfw god vibe checks u” followed by the pensive face and raised fist emojis. 

_ Perfect, _ he thought as he watched the tweet post.

_ Oh, fuck,  _ he thought as a notification alerted him of Jaehyun liking said tweet.

“Uh oh,” he said as he received a text from Jaehyun, reading  _ ‘are you okay?’ _ .

FROM: jaehyun <3

(01:24)

are you okay?

your tweet was… concerning

TO: jaehyun <3

(01:24)

im fine!! just sum pre-performance jitters

why are u awake at 1am anyway

FROM: jaehyun <3

(01:25)

oh mood when we competed in the semis i didn't sleep for a straight three days hfjsjskf

i got hungry so i ordered pizza lmao

pls don't tell yuta 

TO: jaehyun <3

(01:25)

i am no snake sir!!

now that u mention it im kinda hungry too

FROM: jaehyun <3

(01:28)

wanna come over? i got a large

Really, if it was Jaehyun offering, who was Johnny to refuse? He sent off a text, gathered some necessities and headed over to Jaehyun’s apartment in his pyjamas. 

Jaehyun was waiting by the door when he arrived. From behind his legs, Charlie’s beautiful little face smiled at him. “You look comfy,” he stated.

Rolling his eyes, Johnny shook his head and replied, “Hello to you too.”

With a poorly-stifled laugh, Jaehyun opened the door and allowed Johnny to enter - as soon as he did, the wonderful, greasy smell of pizza hit him square in the face. If it were humanly possible, Johnny might’ve melted right there and then. But first, he bent down to kiss Charlie on the nose and was rewarded with a wet tongue slobbering on his cheek.

“You like?” Jaehyun appeared behind him, arms crossed over his chest and- smirking? Since when did Jaehyun  _ smirk.  _ The surprise almost made Johnny forget about the reason he was even here, and he quickly replied.

“This is what Jesus died on the cross for.”

Sagely, Jaehyun nodded. “One AM pizza hits different, huh.”

“So different.” 

Johnny tried to be patient. But as soon as he handed Jaehyun his coat and followed Charlie to take a seat on that oh so familiar sofa, he couldn't help but take a peek into the cardboard box that lay on the table. 

And- “oh, Jesus. That’s big.”

“Twenty-inch diameter,” Jaehyun informed from where he had magically appeared with two glasses of water. He reached across and placed one on a coaster next to the box for Johnny, and took a sip from the other. “I was gonna put the leftovers in the fridge.”

“Oh, you won't have to worry about that.”

Jaehyun snickered and gestured to the cheesy monstrosity that lay before them. “Shall we?”

“You don't even need to ask.”

*

Turns out, eating an entire twenty-inch pizza was no easy feat, even for two hungry, fully grown men. Johnny was one slice away from slipping into a food coma, and Jaehyun was draining his fifth glass of water in preparation for the final two slices. He inched towards them, reached his hand out determinedly, but just when his fingers brushed the crust, Johnny reached forward and slammed the lid shut.

“Jaehyun,” he warned. “You will die.”

“If this is how I go, then so be it.” He spoke bravely, and maybe Johnny would’ve believed him if he wasn't half slumped over, not having the strength to pull himself back up after reaching for the table. Johnny sighed, bemused as Charlie reached up to nudge her owner’s frozen form.

He brushed off the crumbs from his Winnie the Pooh pyjama trousers and stood, picking up the box. “I’m gonna put this in the fridge. Try not to die.”

Jaehyun just groaned. In response, Charlie gave him a slobbering kiss -  _ Good girl,  _ Johnny thought.

When he returned, Jaehyun was sprawled on his back, having flopped over so his head was in the space where Johnny once sat.

“Jaehyun.”

“Johnny, I’m dying.”

“Hi dying, I’m Johnny.” Jaehyun peeled open his eyes to glare at Johnny but didn't put up a fight when Johnny lifted him to sit up. Rather, as soon as Johnny had settled back into his previous spot, Jaehyun flopped back over, using Johnny’s thighs as a pillow.

Johnny froze. His arms hovered in midair as if a magnetic force prevented him from getting close to Jaehyun. It took a while of flailing before Johnny was able to decide. He grabbed his phone with one hand and, not without some coaxing in the form of Jaehyun literally taking his hand and placing it on his head, began to run the other through Jaehyun’s hair. In an attempt to seem nonchalant, he scrolled through the first social media app he managed to open with fumbling fingers. Jaehyun didn't seem to mind; in fact, he seemed perfectly content. The time on the top of Johnny’s screen read 3:57 AM, and no doubt Jaehyun could feel the food coma beginning to take over, just as Johnny could. 

Just when Johnny thought Jaehyun had drifted off for real, he spoke up. 

“Are you doing anything tomorrow?”

Johnny paused in his motions, thinking. He didn't notice the way Jaehyun frowned now that he was no longer being pampered. “I have to train in the evening, but I have the morning off. Why?” 

Jaehyun was silent for a second. Johnny, while struggling to reach around and give Charlie’s fur the same attention as he was giving Jaehyun’s hair, gave him a confused look. 

Eventually, Jaehyun said, “I need to buy something. For someone. You wanna come with?”

“Kinda sus but sure. Who’s  _ ‘someone’ _ ?”

“Secret.” Jaehyun burst into laughter when Johnny groaned, exasperated. In return, Johnny pinched his bicep repeatedly, until he stopped guffawing and batted him away.

When they stopped squabbling, Jaehyun had managed to pull himself up to a sitting position next to Johnny. He asked: “You wanna stay here tonight?”

“Depends. Are you gonna make me take the sofa again?”

Jaehyun wavered. “I mean, I have a double bed-”

“I’m kidding,” Johnny quickly cut him off with a frantic hand wave. Really, he needed to start thinking before speaking; ASAP, if he was going to preserve what little face he had left. He coughed in a fitful attempt to banish the pick from his cheeks and tried to make amends. “I would like some blankets, though.”

Like a race car, Jaehyun sped off while Charlie remained, busied by Johnny’s full attention, now that his hands were both free. His head, however, was in another place.

What did this all  _ mean?  _ Three AM pizza, sleeping on his sofa, shopping for a mysterious someone - what was the message? Friends? More? Johnny sure didn't know.

He didn't know when Jaehyun returned with a mound of blankets, not when Jaehyun wished him goodnight and trudged into his bedroom with Charlie close at his heel. He didn't know when he woke up to the smell of sizzling bacon, and he definitely didn't know when Jaehyun brought out freshly made coffee and sat with him while they ate. 

(He carefully avoided acknowledging the domesticity of it all; no need to throw himself down that rabbit hole.)

Even as they made their way around town, Johnny feeling awfully warm and cosy in the jumper he had borrowed, having forgotten his own, he couldn't quite figure it out. Maybe it was the fact that Jaehyun immediately brought him to the florist and asked him which flowers he would most like to receive, or how he replied: “Something like that” when the cashier asked him if they were for a date that threw Johnny off. Really, he just couldn't wrap his head around it.

He actually made an effort to ask Ten after he arrived at training, but was only rewarded with an incredulous stare, a roll of the eyes, and a mutter that sounded awfully like “Dumbass lovestruck bitches.” Was he going to acknowledge any truth in such a statement? Of course not!

Thus, Johnny was left to ponder. Over and over, replaying the same frames in his mind until they were engraved into his mind. 

Johnny sighed; it wasn't easy being gay.

*

Did Jaehyun feel dumb, carrying his teeny bouquet of flowers amongst the teeming crowds in the stands? Definitely. But, one must make sacrifices to gather the rewards. ‘The rewards’ being Johnny’s affections, and Jaehyun was most definitely willing to suffer for that. No pain, no gain and all that. 

In comparison to the hockey matches Jaehyun had been attending since before he could remember, skating competitions were honestly not a tame as he had been expecting them to be. There were a handful of skaters already on the ice, warming up while the others waited impatiently for their turn; managers and coaches were running around manically - if the rink was already this hectic, Jaehyun would have hated to see what it was like behind the scenes.

Johnny was one of the few on the ice. He was concentrating on his practice with hawk-like focus that granted him a kind of tunnel vision, so he didn't notice Jaehyun in the crowd. 

Jaehyun had never seen Johnny skate properly, he realised. He had seen small parts here and there, but never a full performance, never his full potential. Even now, he was partially distracted, trying not to crash into the other skaters as he went through the carefully choreographed motions. 

Anticipation built up in his chest as he watched Johnny glide across the ice, peering over the bouquet he still held.

Next to him, Donghyuck sighed. 

"You don't have to glare at him, you know," he drawled and purposely poked Jaehyun in the side. In retaliation, Jaehyun clipped him around the ear before turning back to the rink. He pretended not to feel the flush on his face or the burning tips of his ears.

"I'm not glaring at him. I'm just… observing." He smiled, satisfied with his answer.

Donghyuck, on the other hand, wasn't convinced, though he let it go with a hum and a suggestive expression that Jaehyun failed to notice. 

He was completely entranced - it was only after Johnny exited the rink to prepare that he managed to pull his eyes away and moved to strike a conversation with Donghyuck, but the one at his side was already zoned out, attention focussed solely on Mark as he glided onto the ice. On his left was Huang Renjun, and from behind Huang Guanheng sneakily approached. Renjun visibly held back from cursing him out when he jumped on them while Mark giggled his melodic laugh and clasped them both on the shoulder. Donghyuck obviously couldn't hear, yet he still ended up smiling. Naturally, Jaehyun smiled too; Donghyuck’s happiness had always been contagious. (His mind flew to Johnny immediately, though this time, he allowed his mind to wonder. He could have a little fantasy relationship, as a treat.)

By the time his daydream ended, the first round of the competition, the short programmes, had already begun.

Johnny would be the fifth to perform, so for the first four performances Jaehyun was only half paying attention, but he could tell these weren’t easy opponents, even with his limited knowledge of figure skating. Something about the practised ease, the way they conveyed such powerful emotions in their movements. In hockey, the emotion came from the highs and the lows, the victories and the losses; he was used to that, but it didn't mean he couldn't try to appreciate the differences of their sports. 

As soon as Johnny entered the rink, he forgot his internal monologue without a second thought.

The performance passed by in a blink, but Jaehyun felt as though every movement was in slow-motion. From the moment Johnny unfurled from his rigid starting position and began to glide across the ice, Jaehyun was entranced. If asked to describe it, he might mumble something about ‘grace’ or list off as many synonyms as he could, because he really didn't have the words to describe it; like trying to describe a loved one’s face by the shape of their features - it was useless. A wordless emotion surged through Jaehyun’s being as he watched Johnny leap and spin in ways he could only dream of achieving. 

_ Damn,  _ Jaehyun thought as the music, a lilting piano tune that Jaehyun barely recognised, came to an end. Johnny breathed heavily in his ending position, one arm extended up to the sky as his costume billowed lightly in the artificial wind created by the air conditioning. The trousers were graciously tight, while the shirt had a deep v-neck that made it easy for Jaehyun to ogle at the sight he was blessed with. Did he mention the shirt wasn't opaque? Because the shirt wasn't opaque. Jaehyun was having the time of his life. 

Johnny disappeared off the ice after a heavy round of applause and bows, and soon after, a jumble of incomprehensible numbers appeared on the screen closest to Jaehyun. He nudged Donghyuck, hoping his history of attending Mark’s competitions could be of help. “Is that good?”

Donghyuck just shrugged. “No idea. I usually just look for Mark’s reactions and then the ranking overall.”

Nodding, Jaehyun squinted at the live feed. It wasn't the best quality, but he could tell that Johnny was smiling. The thing was, Johnny always smiled. Even when he was seconds away from collapsing from exhaustion, or struggling with the turmoil of emotions inside of him, he would always maintain a smile. Jaehyun found it annoying, honestly, so he had painstakingly taught himself how to differentiate Johnny’s smiles. 

Happy smiles were the ones that made him squint, the ones where smile lines etched into his face; sad smiles never reached the eyes, made his lips press tightly together. Jaehyun’s favourites were the laughing smiles, where Johnny would throw his head back without care, open-mouthed and cackling. He looked best when there was nothing weighing him down.

This wasn't one of those smiles. He pulled up only one side on his lips, eyes bright but downcast. Disappointment. A pop up appeared beneath Johnny’s name - fourth place, it said. Ten put an arm around his shoulders and Johnny gently brushed him off, smiling his ‘thank you’ smile. Jaehyun resisted the urge to… well, he didn't really know. But seeing Johnny smile his “I’m disappointed but to hell if I’m gonna admit it” smile made his chest tighten and his mind scream in frustration. 

When the next person rolled onto the ice, Jaehyun was still fuming. Donghyuck let him off for the next few performances until it was finally time for Mark’s short programme and he thwacked Jaehyun on the back of the head, forcefully bringing him back to reality. He stuck his tongue out playfully when Jaehyun punched his shoulder, then zoned in on Mark’s figure in the middle of the rink. There was an unconscious smile plastered on his face. Jaehyun thought it was cute, and couldn't help but join in, grinning. 

Donghyuck’s demeanour barely changed throughout Mark’s performance, remaining in the same, proud,  _ “that’s my boyfriend”  _ smile as his eyes followed Mark on his journey around the rink. Jaehyun, on the other hand, was shook.

Of course, Mark was handsome. (Not as handsome as Johnny, in Jaehyun’s humble opinion, but there was a difference between Mark, who was like a brother to him, and Johnny, who was- well, no need for an example.) But, he seemed to shine even brighter on the ice. Jaehyun wasn't exactly equipped to comment on the technicality of it, but it  _ seemed _ fancy. Once again, Jaehyun was baffled at the resilience of those paper-thin blades.

The applause after Mark’s performance seemed infinitely louder than any of the previous competitors, although that could have been a result of Donghyuck’s inhuman screeching right next to his ear, blocking out any other sound. His eardrums were quaking.

Mark’s results soon appeared on the screen - he was beaming, and the scoreboard had placed him at number one. Naturally, Jaehyun felt proud of him, although that was quickly replaced by his stomach dropping as he saw the overall leaderboard for the short programmes. Mark was first; Johnny had fallen to eighth. He was somewhat inclined to run off and find Johnny, if only to measure his reaction, but quickly decided against it. He had never imagined Johnny to be a sore loser, especially not to Mark, but one could only be so sure.

The free programmes passed quicker, probably due to the chaos that raged in Jaehyun's mind. If Donghyuck noticed, he said nothing. Jaehyun was grateful. 

At the end of it all, Mark retained his position and was awarded his prize on the podium, flagged by the skaters in second and third - Huang Renjun and Wong Kunhang - while Johnny had valiantly worked his way up to fifth place and yet was nowhere to be seen. Jaehyun scoured the crowd below, and yet failed to find him. How the hell could a six-foot man hide so easily?

He might not have found Johnny, but he did, in fact, see Mark as he was approached by a short, professional-looking lady that Jaehyun immediately recognised as a scout from the lanyard hanging around her neck. When he made Donghyuck aware of the fact, the other shot to his feet, located Mark, and  _ ran. _

Jaehyun decided to follow rather than continue looking for Johnny, although Donghyuck moved so fast, he struggled to keep up. The crowds were no help, especially since Donghyuck had just dyed his silver hair back to brown and was now able to camouflage in the sea of people, but Jaehyun persisted in his chase and soon enough, they were… in a corridor. Somewhere. Donghyuck seemed to know where they were as he whipped out his phone and speedily sent out a text. Within seconds, Mark rounded the corner, only just managing a smile and wave at Jaehyun before Donghyuck dragged him away.

They left, and so Jaehyun was very, very lost. The corridor he had been dragged to was almost entirely empty, other than a few maintenance staff, but before he could make a move to ask for directions, his phone buzzed with a notification. 

FROM: johnny !!!

(21:43)

where are you?

im outside

TO: johnny !!!

(21:43)

omw !

It took a total of five minutes for Jaehyun to make it outside, and another five for him to locate Johnny. 

“Johnny!” Jaehyun ran towards him, barely catching himself before they collided. Johnny reached out for his shoulders to steady him with a slight smile that Jaehyun was unbelievably glad to see. It was one he recognised from when Charlie would lay herself across his lap, demanding attention, or when Mark would do something particularly amiable - fond. He didn't dare even attempt to think about why that smile was directed at him. If he did, no doubt he’d drive himself crazy. 

“Hey, Jae. you seem excited.”

“Because that was so- you know, wow!”

Johnny’s smile grew. “Thanks, Jae.”

“You were so cool! All the-” cue a jumble of meaningless sound effects and motions that made Jaehyun feel like a bit of a knob, but Johnny laughed, so it was okay- “I even saw a scout!”

“An Olympic scout,” Johnny said and nodded sagely.

“Shit, Olympics?”

“Yeah. Mark got a new PB, and his highest ever technical score.” Johnny’s smile was changing. He seemed proud, but behind that was a mask of disappointment that Jaehyun  _ needed _ to get rid of.

So, he grabbed Johnny’s hands in his own and looked him dead in the eye. “Look, I know jack shit about the technical stuff, but I thought you looked-” he faltered, looking down at their joined hands and back to Johnny’s face- “beautiful.”

At that, Johnny leaned in, just a smidge. “Yeah?”

Jaehyun copied him. “Yeah.” 

The two fell silent but continued to move closer and closer, like a magnet pulling them together. Their breaths mingled, forming white clouds in the cold air, as Jaehyun tightened his grip on Johnny’s hand.

He took a moment to think. Would he regret it? Probably not. He’d been wanting to kiss Johnny from the day they met - angrily at first, but now in more of a “I’m two steps away from falling in love with you” kind of way.

Jaehyun didn't think he was thinking for that long, but Johnny apparently did. He sighed, then used their joined hands to pull Jaehyun forward, wrapping his free hand around Jaehyun’s waist to keep him in place as their lips met.

Johnny was kissing him. That was something to think about.

*   
To cut straight to the point, no, they did not talk about it. It was a fantasia-like moment, and the alarm bells in Johnny’s brain were having a seizure despite him being the initiator, but after being interrupted by a very poorly-timed platoon of sugar-hyped teenagers courtesy of the birthday party being held directly after the competition, the two went their separate ways without any fanfare. 

In fact, the next time they communicated was days later, when Johnny received a text from Jaehyun, apologising for their lack of communication and asking if he was free the next weekend. It was then that Johnny remembered next weekend was the finals of the Canadian ice hockey championship and the reason for Jaehyun’s absence from, well, everything should have been that he was fully occupied with the insane practice schedule Yuta had put together. (Johnny had been granted a few days off practice, so he hadn't seen him at the rink, and Jaehyun must have taken time off work, seeing how he hadn't seen him at the parlour either.)

They only managed a short exchange before Jaehyun was called back to practising and Johnny was able to return to his crisis. He was, in fact, free next weekend and had told Jaehyun as such. Therefore, he now had a front-row seat to watch a game of the one sport he had spent years complaining about to whoever would listen. 

It seemed that doing as such would be a little difficult now, unless he wanted to be absolutely destroyed by the hockey fanatics that surrounded him on all sides. His only comfort was Mark sitting next to him, who, despite frequenting almost all of Donghyuck’s matches, looked equally as uncomfortable. Such was only natural, being surrounded by such a diverse crowd, all of whom had forgone their quiet mumbling the moment the announcer began speaking and were now yelling; angry or not, Johnny had yet to figure out. 

The yells didn't quell even after the announcer had finished and only increased as the two teams entered onto the ice. Admittedly, the moment Johnny saw Jaehyun, he became a part of that screeching crowd, much like Mark when Donghyuck appeared, all of them decked out in gear. When he spotted them, Jaehyun gave a small wave and smile before his attention was called back to Yuta on the other side of the glass. Donghyuck, on the other hand, forewent the briefing entirely and sauntered over.

“Excited?” He asked, raising his voice to be heard over the commotion.

Johnny called back. “Shouldn't you be over there?”

Donghyuck shook his head with a dismissive hand gesture. “Jaehyun made me go over the strategy so many times I’m pretty sure it’s carved into my brain at this point.”

Nodding in understanding, Johnny allowed Mark and Donghyuck to have their own conversation before Donghyuck was called back and the match was set to begin.

Contact sports, Johnny quickly realised, were just as volatile as he had imagined. There were people being slammed into the barrier, faces making friends with the ice, the puck, et cetera. At one point, Yukhei completely wiped out, long limbs sprawling almost comically across the ice, but he got back to his feet in an instant, scoring a point to take them into the lead. The team rejoiced and quickly returned to the game.

Johnny’s attention flitted repeatedly between the team. Donghyuck was a literal ghost - he teleported around the rink, avoiding tackles and appearing out of nowhere to slam the puck into the goal with criminally good accuracy. Not to mention the surprising viciousness of his tackles, considering Donghyuck himself was almost half a foot shorter than most of his opponents and yet could take them down with seemingly minimal effort. He knew where to aim, Johnny supposed. (“Back of the knees,” Donghyuck would always say. “The KO spot. Works every time.”)

As for Jaehyun, well, he was somewhat of a dark horse. It was difficult to see at first, especially if, like Johnny, you knew little to nothing about hockey, but by looking closely, Johnny recognised his expression and soon could almost see the cogs in Jaehyun's brain turning as he strategized and set up each play. He didn't appear to be the leader type, seeing how he tended to snatch the spotlight wherever he went, but Jaehyun was careful to let his teammates be the ones to shine rather than himself. 

That being said, throughout the game, Jaehyun attracted himself quite a bit of attention from the opposing team. He was constantly being thrown about by tackle after tackle - to the point that, whenever anyone would come near Jaehyun, Johnny found himself sitting on the edge of his seat as if he could interfere and make it stop. He hated to think of how much Jaehyun’s head must be pounding inside of his helmet, or how much his body ached from the constant targeting. 

The remarkable thing, Johnny thought, was how he pulled himself up each time. It reminded Johnny of all those nights he would spend practising that one spin or one jump, how he would fall and keep falling until he was bruised black and blue, and until he could do it perfectly. 

Suddenly, he thought maybe hockey and figure skating weren’t so different after all.

With rapt attention, he continued watching the game. In the end, Donghyuck scored four goals in a row, bringing them from a loss to a three-point lead in the last ten minutes of the game. The stadium roared with applause. Johnny might have found it annoying if he wasn't part of it. 

The team celebrated in the centre of the rink after their opposition slunk away, hugging and, for many, running out into the crowd to celebrate with whomever they invited. In Donghyuck’s case, he came barging past the glass, pointed directly at Mark and said: “I’m gonna kiss you.”

He was a man of his word. Before he could see anything he felt as though he wasn't supposed to, he quickly looked away - and, to his luck, ended up looking directly at Jaehyun. It seemed as though he too, had caught Mark and Donghyuck in the act if his wide eyes were anything to go by, though that could have been the adrenaline. Their eyes met, and the crowds were suddenly muted.

As if he was underwater, the pressure around Johnny felt as though it began to build, and something lit up in the cavity of his chest. It was a familiar warmth, combating the rink’s cold air. The longer he looked, the warmer it became, and the less able he was to look away. 

With his helmet off, Johnny could easily see the redness of Jaehyun’s ears and grinned. He was already flushed as a product of the vigorous exercise, but Jaehyun somehow managed to turn even redder and averted his eyes. Johnny’s grin only grew.

Even after the award ceremony had finished, the team had received their medals and trophy, and after Donghyuck was announced as the star player, Johnny’s smile didn't fade. 

Even outside, with snow falling all around, Johnny maintained his smile; if anything, it grew the moment he saw a familiar face around the corner.

As soon as Jaehyun was in range, Johnny couldn't help but launch at him, smothering him in a hug while blathering congratulations. Jaehyun laughed, thanked him, and hugged him back with just as much fervour. They reluctantly pulled away after a long time, but Johnny kept his hands on Jaehyun’s upper arms as he began to excitedly relay all he had seen and noticed, and Jaehyun let him, chiming in here and now to explain or remind Johnny he was listening.

“They were really coming at you. Are you sure you’re not injured anywhere?”

Jaehyun sucked in a breath, bringing one hand to his side and wincing slightly. “Definitely. But it doesn't hurt all that bad now, so that’s future Jaehyun’s problem.”

“I see.” Johnny had half the mind to push more, maybe take him to the medical room or something, but he trusted Jaehyun enough to leave it there. Instead, he let his eyelids fall half shut, leant closer and, in his most seductive voice, said: “And what about present Jaehyun? Anything on his mind?”

“Oh uh-” Jaehyun was visibly panicking; Johnny was very much pleased. After a few moments of flailing, Jaehyun clicked his fingers. “Donghyuck got scouted!”

Johnny paused. He let the information process and process, until it finally struck. “He what?”

“There was an Olympic scout! I guess it’s the season, huh.”

“Jaehyun, what the hell, this is huge!” He didn't wait before surging forward to bring Jaehyun into another hug, which was returned with just as much enthusiasm. This time, though, he didn't pull back completely and only moved his head so he could look at Jaehyun properly. Even in the street light’s dim light, he could easily see the redness of his ears. He continued, “Mark and Donghyuck are both going to the Winter Olympics? What are the chances…”

“They are so talented, both of them. They deserve it, for all their hard work.” Jaehyun said. Johnny nodded gently in agreement. “It’ll be strange, though, not having them around. We don't know how long they’ll be gone for, with training and all.”

“Right,” Johnny agreed, then paused. He looked Jaehyun straight in the eye and spoke with complete conviction. “But we have each other, at least.”

Jaehyun smiled. “I’m glad you don't hate me anymore.”

“I’m glad my regular coffee shop shut down. I never would have seen how cute you look in uniform otherwise.”

“Ugh, I hate you,” Jaehyun whined, but his face was painted with a smile. Johnny, the artist, took a step back to admire his work, then said in a sing-song voice:

“You know that’s a lie.” He winked, then turned and began to walk away, head tilted awkwardly to look back at Jaehyun.

With the same masterfully-crafted grin, Jaehyun scoffed and chased after him.

*

**_The Couple Taking The Winter Olympics by Storm!_ **

_ Written by Dejun Xiao _

_ Figure skater Mark Lee and ice hockey player Donghyuck Lee, both Korean-Canadians representing Team Canada have won Gold in their respective categories during this year’s Winter Olympics, with Donghyuck scoring the final goal of the game against Team GB and Mark achieving a new world record with his overall score. This in itself is an immense achievement and has pushed Team Canada closer to a leading place - however, the two were recently revealed to have been dating for years before their Olympic debut, and have hence been dubbed “Kings of the Ice”, much to the mirth of their teammates - old and new. _

_ “They are so talented,” Jungwoo Kim, Bronze medalist figure skater at the last Winter Olympics and an old friend of Mark’s, said, “but God, are they annoying.” _

_ “Donghyuck’s like the sun, and Mark’s like the moon. Put them together, and you might just get blinded without realising,” said Donghyuck’s old teammate, Jaemin Na.  _

_ This pair wasn't just born with their talent, though. In a recent interview, the two revealed that they had both been mentored separately by fellow athletes from their hometown, Jaehyun Jung and Johnny Suh.  _

_ Mark seemed to light up when his mentor was mentioned. “Johnny supports me through everything. I’ve known him since I was a kid, actually. I’ve never told him this, but he and Ten - our coach, kinda - were the reason I learnt to skate in the first place!” _

_ “Jaehyun is the captain of my team back home. I most definitely wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him - and the rest of the team, but mostly Jaehyun. He sacrificed so much of his free time to help me train, one-on-one. So yeah, he can take the glory for that, but I take full credit for his relationship. That was all me.” Donghyuck said, although Mark seemed to have some qualms. _

_ “We got Johnny and Jaehyun together; it was a joint effort!” he insisted.  _

_ In response, Donghyuck pinched his boyfriend’s cheeks and cooed. “Sure it was, babe. Sure.”  _

_ Like they say, behind every iconic couple there is another, lesser-known but equally as iconic couple. Unfortunately, Jung and Suh were unable to join their mentees at the Olympics, but we were lucky enough to have a short interview via video call. _

_ After a very warm introduction, Suh started us straight off. _

_ “It was a big jump for both of them, I think, going straight from local competitions to the Olympics, but the way they've handled it is honestly more than I ever expected. They really just… took it in stride, it feels.” _

_ “Yeah. Hyuck had always been clear that going ‘international’, as he put it, had been the goal. And, well, he had the talent and the perseverance, all I had to do was give him a push in the right direction.” _

_ “It’s the same for Mark. He’d been breaking records since I could remember, so I knew he’d do well. The reason I offered mentoring- why we both offered it- was to give them more time on the ice. Every second counts, you know.” _

_ When asked about their relationship and their mentees’ contributions towards it, they immediately became sheepish. _

_ “Ah, well…” _

_ “Johnny hated me for the longest time.” Suh opened his mouth to respond, but Jung continued. “I had no idea why, and one day he just stopped. That was when those two started scheming.” _

_ “Basically, I didn't hate Jae. I thought I did because he played hockey and was literally perfect, which I thought meant that he was gonna be, as they say, a fake ass bitch. Mark and Donghyuck helped me realise that he was actually just perfect.” _

_ “Shut up, oh my god. Where is your brain to mouth filter?” _

_ “Did I lie?” _

_ The two continued their bickering, before returning for the end of the interview. When asked if they had any final words, Suh urged Jung to speak. _

_ “I don't have a whole lot to say, really. I’m just glad Donghyuck and Mark are finally able to show off their talents, putting them to good use on the national team. It’s something they’ve both worked so, so hard for, and to see them achieve it- well, as people who have witnessed their growth from the beginning, it’s really special. We’re both so proud of them.” _

_ Here’s to hoping we see more from the golden medal duo and their adorable mentors soon! _

*

“Everyone knows why I hated you, but why did you hate me?”

Jaehyun didn't have to look at his phone to know it was some dumb-o’clock in the morning. He groaned at his sleep being disturbed but flipped over to face Johnny anyway. In revenge, he snatched up the duvet before sniffing and giving an answer. “First off, you started it. We could’ve been friends if it wasn't for your dumb stereotypes.”

“I-” 

“Other than that, it was because you’re hot.” His eyes were closed, but he could feel Johnny smirking. “And you were a literal Care Bear to everyone other than me.”

Johnny made a sound of understanding, then quickly pushed himself up with one hand to lean over Jaehyun. “So, you were jealous?”

“Johnny Suh, I swear to-”

“You were jealous! That’s so cute.”

Jaehyun just sighed. He hung his head to shroud his expression with his hair, and when Johnny let his guard down, he pounced.

Johnny screeched as he was pushed into the mattress, making a half-arsed attempt to escape, but quickly gave up with a grin as Jaehyun pinned him down.

“I can show you ‘cute’, Suh.”

“Try me, Jung.”

**Author's Note:**

> fun fact i predicted this would be like 7k but guess who was wrong !! whee I hope u enjoyed I love charlie with my whole heart that will be all see u in another 3 months
> 
> [my twitter!](https://twitter.com/ritokki)   
>  [my curiouscat!](https://curiouscat.me/ritokki)


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